Electric railroad.



WILLIAM G. SPIEGEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC RAILROAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application filed July 17, 1906. Serial No. 326,575.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. SPIEGEL, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railroads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric railways in general, and more specifically consists of an improved system for operating upon what is known as the safety third rail principle in which a third rail or other conductor extending parallel with the track, cooperating with a current collecting shoe carried by the car, is divided into insulated sections and provided with means for connecting each section with the source of current supply just before the collecting shoe reaches that section and cutting it out from such connection immediately after the shoe has left the section.

H'cretofore, systems operated upon this plan have been liable to accidental derangement and the cutting in and cutting out of the various sections has usually been accompanied by the production of a destructive spark, or arc.

I have invented a system in which the transfer of the collecting shoe from one section to another is effected without the production of any spark, and in which the possibility of burning out the switch operating mechanism by excessive current is reduced to a minimum.

My invention is also capable of operating cars in both directions without requiring the manipulation of additional apparatus by the motorman, and these results are obtained without the usual complication or duplication of apparatus.

The best form of apparatus at present known to me is illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a railroad and the apparatus connected therewith. Fig. 2 is an illustrative perspective view of the reversing apparatus. 7

Throughout the drawings, like reference figures indi cate like parts.

tions, two of these switch operating sections being upon one side of the rail and the other two upon the other side of the rail separated by a line of insulating material. The sections 9, 10, ll, 12 and 13, cooperate with the collecting shoe 40 carried by the car, when the car is traveling in one direction, as toward the right, Fig. 1. Sections 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, on the other side of the rail cooperate with the collecting shoe when the car is moving toward the left.

19 and 20 represent two switches of any approved construction, located in the connections 22- and 23, extending from the main supply conductor to the main third rail sections 6 and 7. No switch is shown in the branch supply connection 21 to section 5, as the same is supposed to be the initial section of the third rail, and no switch is necessary there. These switches may be operated by any desired electrical apparatus, preferably a magneto electric apparatus, and in the drawings I have shown quadruple wound solenoids having the common cores 27, 28, connected to the movable switch member.

24, 25 and 26, represent circuits which are energized for the purpose of operating the switches to cut in the main third rail sections one by one as the car moves toward the right.

24 and 25 represent the solenoid coils included in,

the circuits 24 and 25 respectively.

29 and 30 represent circuits for cutting out the main sections of the third rail after the collecting shoe has left them, and 29 and 30 respectively are the solenoid coils included in said circuits. I

The foregoing parts of my invention cooperate to propel the car toward the right.

31 and 32 represent switch operating circuits which act to cut into circuit with the supply current the main sections of the third rail when a car is traveling toward the left, and 31, 32 are the solenoid coils included in these circuits 31 and 32 respectively.

33, 34 and 35, represent the switch operating circuits thrown into action to cut out the main sections of the third rail after the collecting shoe of a car moving toward the left has moved along.

34 and 35 represent the solenoid coils included in the circuits 34 and 35 respectively.

2435 is the common connection from circuits 24 and 35 to the third rail main section 5.

2534 is the common connection of circuits 25 and 34 to the third rail main section 6.

2932 is the common connection'of circuits 29 and 32 to the third rail section 7.

3031 is the common connection of circuits 30 and 31 to the third rail section 8.

2633 is the common connection of circuits 26 and 33 to the third rail section 7. The two connections 2932 and 2633 might be combined in one in some cases.

36 is a diagrammatic representation of an electric car on rails 1, 1, having its current collecting shoe 4O bearing on the insulated third rail or switch operating section 11, the action of the apparatus in that situation being as hereinafter explained to open the switch 19, the switch 20 having been previously closed.

In Fig. 2 the shoe 40 is represented as supported from the hinge 40 having an axis parallel to the third rail, and said shoe is connected in any convenient manner to the brush holding yoke41 oi the car motor,

so that when said brush holding yoke is shifted by the operation of the controller 42 to reverse the rotation of the motor, the shoe will be adjusted so as to cooperate with the switch operating sections adapted to drive the car in that direction. This connection may be by means of the obliquely slotted link 43 or in any other convenient manner.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The car being at the left hand end of the line, the ccllecting shoe 10 will rest upon the initial section 5 of the third rail, and the motor of the car will be energized when the motorman properly manipulates his controller. When the car has traveled far enough for the collecting shoe to pass on to the switch operating section 9, the propulsion current from the source of supply will pass from the constantly energized third rail tion 5, through the coimnon connection 2435, the solenoid 24-", circuit 24 to the switch operating section 9. and through the collecting shoe and motor back through the return circuit afforded by the track rails. This will pull the core 27 to the right. close the switch 19 and permit the supply current to pass through the branch supply conductor 22 from the supply conductor t to the main third rail section 6. and energize the same so that when the collecting shoe passes over on to the section 6, the car will continue to be propelled. hen the car has traveled far enough for the shoe to reach the switch operating section 10, the current will pass from the main section 6 through the common cenncction 2534, the solenoid coil 25 the circuit 25 to said switch operating section 10. This will pull the core 28 to the right and close the switch 20. allowing the propulsion current to pass through the branch supply conductor 23 to the third rail sect on 7, energizing the same. When the collecting shoe 40 reaches the switch operating section 11, the cuzrent will pass from the previously energized main third rail section '7, through the common connection 2922, the solenoid coil 29, the cut out circuit 29 to the switch operating section 11. This will pull thcpore 27 to the left. open the switch 19 and cut out the main third rail section (3, leaving the same dca'd until energized by the approach of another car. I This cycle of operations will be repeated as the car passes from one section to the other toward the rigid, it being understood that the swinging shoe is so connected to the current controlling mechanism of the car that it is held in a position to come into contact only with the switch operating sections on one side of the third rail with sections 9, 10. 11, 12 and 13, &c., when the commutator is in a position to drive the car in that direction. When the motor is reversed, the shoe will be swung over so as to make contact only with the switch operating sections 1st, 15, l6, l7 and 18, &c. on the other side of the third rail, and these will operate in a similar manner, but in the reverse order, with the result that as the car travels toward the leit, each main section of the third rail in advance of it will be cut into circuit; with the supply as the collecting shoe approaches it, and cut out as the shoe leaves t.

The advantages of my invention comprise the elimiby the controller.

nation of all tendency to arcing, and the utilization in the switch operating mechanism of only such Volumes of current as can pass through the motor of the car. It is evident that when the collecting shoe passes say from the main third rail section 6 to the switch operating section 10, there is no tendency to are because both are connected to the supply current. When the shoe passes from the switch operating ection 10, to the switch operating section .11, there will similarly be no tendency to the production of an are, as both these sections are connected to the source of supply through circuits of exactly the same resistance. When the collecting shoe passes from the switch operating section 11. to the main third rail section 7, there will be practically no tendency to produce an arc, as both sections will be connected to the source of supply and the difference in internal resistance in the connections is-relatively small as the solenoid coil could he made short and of extremely low resistance. In no case would these solenoids be subjected to the action of the entire current carried by the main supply conductor 4, as they are always in series with the car motor and they would not be called upon to handle any heavier current than that which would pass through the car motor, so that all possibility of burning out the switch operating mechanism is avoided.

It is evident of course that various changes could be made iii-the details of construction illustrated and described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

In a two-track system only one set of switch operating sections might be used, adapted to run the car in one direction. The various circuit connections might be rearranged so long as the foregoing sequence of operations is produced. Other means for cutting into circuit the connections of the third rail might be used and that portion of my apparatus alone employed which is designed to cut out the sections after the car has passed. Other features of my invention might be employed without also using the entire apparatus therein described and illustrated. Such changes 'I should con sider modifications of detail still embodying the principle of my invention.

In Fig. 1 no attempt has been made to indicate the direction of winding of the solenoid coils. The theory of the diagram is that the solenoid coils are so wound that when energized by the current passing through the circuits as described, each particular coil as energized will attract the core and tend to pull the same into the coil.

In order to prevent a disarrangement of the system when the propulsion current is cut oft" irom the motor and the car allowed to coast under its own momentum or by the action of gravity on a down grade, I employ the arrangement of circuits shown in Fig. 2, where 44 is a shunt circuit around the motor and current controller closed by a gravity switch 45, when the motor is cut out 46 is a dead resistance greater than the total resistance of the motor and controller. When the motor is in operation, the magnet 47 in the motor circuit will hold switch 45 open and open the shunt circuit 44, compelling the current to pass through the motor in the usual way. When the motor circuit is opened, the current must then pass through resistance 46 and there will be suflicient quantity of it to operate the circuit switches as the car coasts alon If the resistance 46 gets hot by reason of the car standing still too long on any one block, the thermostat 48 will expand, close the sub-circuit 49, causing current from battery 50 to ring the alarm bell 51, ahd notify the motorman to open the circuit as by opening the switch 52. When starting up the car again, the motorman must close switch 52 and then on operating his controller, gravity switch 45 will be opened and the current sent through the motor alone.

Having, therefore, described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In an electric railroad, the combination with the traveling car, electric motor thereon and return circuit connections, of a supply conductor, a sectional conductor having each of its insulated sections normally disconnected from the supply conductor, a contact device carried by the ear and bearing on the sectional conductor, a series of switches, each one of which is adapted when closed to connect a corresponding insulated section of the sectional conductor with the supply conductor, electrically actuated means for operating these switches, a series of switch operating sections interspersed between the main sections oi the sectional conductor and a circuit extending from each main section through the switch operating means of another main section to the adjacent switch operating section of the sectional conductor.

2. In an electric railroad, the combination of a station ary source of current supply, a movable car, a moto arried thereby and adapted to propel the same, a safety third rail composed of insulated main sections normally disconnected from the source of current supply, means for connecting each main section of the third rail to the source of current supply operated by the car before entering that section, a disconnecting switch [or each section, electric ally operated means for opening said switch, switch opening sections in the third rail located between the main sections, and a circuit extending from each switch opening section to the main section about. to be entered through the switch opening means for the main section of the third rail over which the car last passed.

3. In an electric railroad, the combination with the traveling car, electric motor thereon and return circuit con nections, of a supply conductor, a sectional conductor having each of its insulated sections normally disconnected from the supply conductor, a contact (levice carried by the car and bearing on the sectional conductor, a series of switches, each one of which is adapted when closed to connect a corresponding insulated section of the sectional cenductor with the supply conductor, electrically actuated means for operating these switches, a series of switch operating sections interspersed between the main sections of the sectional conductorand a circuit extending from each main section through the switch operating means of another main section to the adjacent switch operating section at the sectional conductor, said electrically operated means actuating the switches comprising an electro magnet, the coils of which are included in the last mentioned circuit.

-t. In an electric railroad, the combination of a stationary source ofcurrcnt supply, a movable car, a motor carried thereby and adapted to propel the same, a safety third rail composed of insulated main sections normally disconnected from the source of current supply, means for connecting each main section of the third rail to the source of current supply operated by the car before entering that section, a disconnecting switch for each section, electrically operated means for opening said switch, switch opening sections in the third rail located between the main sections, and a circuit extending from each switch opening section to the main section about to be entered through the switch opening means for the main section of the third rail over which the car last passed, said electrically operated means for opening the switches comprising an electro-magnet whose coils are included in the last mentioned circuit.

5. In an electric railroad, the combination with the traveling car, electric motor thereon and return circuit connection, of a supply conductor, a sectional conductor having each of its insulated sections normally disconnected from the supply conductor, a contact device carried by the car and bearing on the sectional conductor, a series of switches,

each one of which is adapted when closed to connect a corresponding insulated section of the sectional conductor with the supply conductor, electrically actuated means for operating these switches, a series of switch operating sections interspersed between the main sections of the sectional conductor, there being two of the switch operating sections between each two adjacent main sections, and a circuit extending from each main section through the switch closing means of the next forward main section to the switch operating section nearest the first mentioned main section.

6. In a safety third rail system for electric railroads, the combination of a sectional conductor having a series of long sections and two short sections between each two long sections, a current supply connection to each long section, a switch in each connection, an electro-magnetic device for closing each switch, an electro-magnetic device for openin' each switch, a circuit extending from each short section through one of the switch operating magnets of the more remote long section to the adjacent long section, all those circuits whose loops extend in one direction gassing through the switch closing magnets and those whose loops extend in the other direction passing through the switch opening magnets.

T. In a safety third rail system for electric railroads, the combination of a third rail conductor divided into insulated sections, a supply conductor, electrically operated switches for cutting in and cutting out each section to and from connection with the supply conductor, a set of four short switch operating insulated sections located two on each side between the adjacent ends of the main seetions of the third rail, circuit connections from the two short sections on one side of the rail to the switch operating mechanism adapted to drive the car in one direction and circuit connections from the two short sections on the other side of the rail to the switch operating mechanism adapted to drive the car in the other direction.

8. in a safety third rail system for electric railroads, the combination of a third rail conductor divided into insulated sections, a supply conductor, electrically operated switches for cutting in and cutting out each section, to and from connection with the supply conductor, a set of four short switch operating insulated sections between the adjacent ends of the main sections of the third rail, circuit con nections from the short sections on one side of the rail to the switch operating mechanism adapted to drive the car in one direction and circuit connections from the short sections on the other side of the rail to the switch operat ing mechanism adapted to drive the car in the other direction, together with a car, an electric motor thereon, a motor reversing mechanism therefor, a collecting shoe'carried by the car, and means for shifting the shoe from one side of the third rail to the other simultaneously with the movement of the motor reversing mechanism aforesaid.

Signed at New York, N. Y. this 9th day of June, 1906.

WILLIAM G. SPIEGEL.

Witnesses W. H. Punrnnnr, M. G. CRAWFORD. 

